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From a student’s perspective, I can think of a few reasons:</p>
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<li><p>The weakening of the Rupee against the Dollar. The current exchange rate is 1 USD = 52.7 INR. This massive increase in just 2 year’s time will/has dissuaded many Indian students from applying to colleges in the US. Plus, it is no secret that asking for financial aid at institutions - {need blind} significantly reduces admissions chances. This might also have the side effect of not-so-spectacular full pay students being accepted at top universities.</p></li>
<li><p>Most, not all, of the private higher education system in India is a money making sham. It’s basically, a market. However, with the emergence of good public higher education institutions (new IITs, anyone?) and the extremely cheap eduction - IIT students, on an average, have to pay only $6,063 for the whole four years - provide incentive to students to pursue their higher education in India.</p></li>
<li><p>The entire nature of the US application process, that is, the holistic nature is lacking in the Indian High School system. Extracurriculars of any form, be it athletics, social service, art, etc are not highly encouraged. Students may sometimes indulge in such activities for a small period of time but any long term engagement is dissuaded unless one of two things happen: One, the student manages to maintain a respectably good academic transcript (>80%/85%) or the students produces exemplary results in that extracurricular activity.</p></li>
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<p>3a. This so called ‘obsession’ with marks is justifiable in my opinion. Colleges in India, unlike those in the US, look at only one thing, that is, the twelfth grade board mark sheet. For Indian students coming from the poorer sections of society, education is a sure shot way to a better lifestyle. Now if you consider that, you can imagine why extracurriculars are given low weightage by parents and also, in many cases, by students.</p>
<ol>
<li>Looking at all the points outlined above, it can be argued that the current system is ineffective and we ought to move towards a more ‘liberal’ and holistic education system and ensure better infrastructure for higher education. But the truth is, this system has been in place for quite some time and it is producing results. From what I understand, there will be a shift, but not instantaneously. It will take time.</li>
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